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Teen Antonelli Leads Practice as Verstappen Battles Issues

6/26/2026

25 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Antonelli Leads Practice

Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) topped FP1 with 1:07.796, 0.040 s ahead of George Russell (Mercedes).
He also led FP2, posting 1:07.014, 0.237 s faster than Oscar Piastri (McLaren).
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) finished fourth in both sessions, citing software and clutch issues.
Sergio Pérez (Red Bull)’s stop caused a red-flag during the practice.
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)’s car ignited in the pit lane.

Summary

Berganovic Fastest

Track temperature fell to 48 °C during FP2, affecting tyre performance.
Six drivers, including Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson, missed FP1 for a mandatory rookie session.
Dino Berganovic replaced Leclerc in the rookie run and set the fastest time.
Alex Albon lost power on his first lap, prompting Williams to send the car to the garage for repairs.

Summary

Cadillac Fire

Cadillac's aerodynamic upgrade test was postponed after a cockpit fire halted evaluation.
Max Verstappen said his Red Bull seat was uncomfortable, leading to a brief halt for readjustment.
Valtteri Bottas reported smoke in his cockpit and limped back to the pits before the fire was extinguished.
Engineers warned that the upcoming soft-compound tyre runs will be decisive for qualifying strategy as teams fine-tune setups.

History

Historical Context

In 2005 the United States Grand Prix at Indianapolis started with only six of the twenty-four entered cars after all Michelin-shod teams withdrew over unsafe tyres. The incident was recalled during the 2006 race anniversary, underscoring the event’s lasting impact. Today’s practice sessions see Mercedes, Red Bull and Williams battling software glitches and tyre-temperature problems.

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Antonelli Leads Practice

Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) topped FP1 with 1:07.796, 0.040 s ahead of George Russell (Mercedes).
He also led FP2, posting 1:07.014, 0.237 s faster than Oscar Piastri (McLaren).
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) finished fourth in both sessions, citing software and clutch issues.
Sergio Pérez (Red Bull)’s stop caused a red-flag during the practice.
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes)’s car ignited in the pit lane.

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